clifton



(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1. O. W. CLIFTON.

ATTACHMENT FOR TRUNKS.

Patented Aug. 28, 1888.

N. PETERS Pnuw-um m m Walhmgkw, n c

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

0. W. CLIFTON.

ATTACHMENT FOR TRUNKS.

No. 388,634. Patented Aug. 28, 1888.

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$36 I a; f 5

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLIFTON \VIIARTON CLIFTON, OF PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY.

ATTACHMENT FOR TRUNKS.

SPECIFICATION foaming part of Letters Patent No. 388,634, dated August 28, 1888,

Application filed February 13, 1888.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLIFTON \Vittnros CLIFTON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Princeton, Mercer county, New Jersey, have invented certain Improvementsin Attachments for Trunks, of which the following is a specification.

One object of my invention is to provide a trunk with a simple, cheap, and strong attachment for supporting the trunk at such a height that convenient access to the interior of the same is permitted without stooping or bending, a further object being to so construct the supportingframes that they will act as braces for and retainers of the lid when the trunk is closed. These objects I attainin the manner hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawi ngs,in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of a trunk provided with my improved attachment, the latter being shown at the right hand as adjusted tothesupportingpositionand attheleft hand as adjusted to the bracing position,the reverse position in each case being shown by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the trunk on a somewhat larger scale,showing one of the supportim and bracing frames partially extended. Fig. 3 is a View, on a still larger scale,of a portion of the device; and Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating modified forms of the attachment.

The provision of an ordinary trunk with some simple means whereby the trunk can be supported at such a height as to permit access to the interior of the same withoutstoopingor kneeling is a desidcrat u m; but so far as I know the supporting structures hitherto proposed have been of such an expensive and inconvenient character as to be practically val ueless.

The aim of my invention has been to provide a trunk with a supporting device of a simple, strong, aml inexpensive character which when not in use will be practically out of the way,will not occupy valuablespacc,and will not interfere with the ordinary handling of the trunk. I so construct the supporting device, moreover, that it will serve the additional purpose of a brace and retainer for the lid when the trunk is closed and the device is not used as a support for the same, thus obviating the expense and inconvenience of the usual Strap.

Serial No. 263,901. (No model.)

As shown in Figs. 1 aml 2, the supporting device comprises opposite frames A A, each having opposite side bars, a, pivoted at their lower ends to suitable plates, b, secured to the front and rear of the trunk adjacent to thelower corners of the same, said side bars being bent at their upper ends, and these bent portions a being connected by a transverse bar, (I, so that the whole frame is rigid and deflection of one of the side bars independently of the other is prevented.

To the side bars ofcach frame are hung bracebarsf, the free ends of which carry pins 1 passing through slots in guide-plates h, secured to the front and back ofthe trunk,to which are also secured retainer-plates 2', having openings '5 for the reception of the pinsg of the l'n'ace-bars when the frames A are adjusted either to the supporting position (shown by full lines at the right aml by dotted lines at the leftin Fig. 1,) or to thelockiug and bracing position, (shown by full lines at the left and by dotted lines at the right in said figure) the pins being retained in theopeniugs ibymeansofspriugs m, which act upon buttons n, carried by the pins, said buttons also serving to prevent the withdrawal of the pins from the slots in the guideplates h.

Asa further means of locking the pins 9 in the openings i, I in some cases pivot to each retainerplate or to the guide-plate at a point midway between the openings 5 a lockinglever, p, which has a stem projecting beyond the guide'platc and constructed for the reception of a suitable operating key or handle by which said lever may be turned so as to bear upon the outer faces of the buttons n of the two brace-bars, as shown in Fig. I and thus effectually preventthe withdrawal of the pins 1/ from the openings i in the retainer-plate.

Supposing that the frames A are adjusted to the position for supporting the trunk and that the latter has been packed and the lid closed, the free ends of the brace bars of one of the supporting-frames are pulled laterally, so as to free their pins 9 from the openings '5' in the retainer'plates, and the frame A can then be moved in the direction of the arrow at the right-hand side of Fig. 1, the pins sliding along the faces of the retainer-plates aml being guided by the slots in the plates h. The outward movement of the pins continues until the frame A projects straight out from the end of the trunk; but the moveinentof the frame continues a reverse movement is imparted to the brace-bars and the pins slide inward along the retaining-plates until, when the frame finally reaches the raised position, the pins again engage with the openings 1'. in the retainerplates and lock the brace-bars in position. The opposite frame A is then likewise manipulated.

On the ends of the lid of the trunk are pro jecting lugs s, and when the frames A are adjusted to the raised position these lugs form bearing-shoulders for the bars dofsaid frames, which thus confine the lid vertically to the body of the trunk irrespective of the lock and hinges, the bars (1 serving to prevent any longitudinal movement of the lid on the trunk, and the bentportions a ofthe sidebars, a, overlapping the front and rear of the lid at the ends and serving to confine said lid laterally in position, thelid and body being thereby so firmly braced and retained in their proper relation to each other that the trunk is much better calculated to withstand rough handling than a trunk having only the ordinary fastening devices for the lid.

In the outer face of each guide-plate 71, on each side of the center of the same, are diago nal slots w, which receive the bracebars when the latter are in either of their extreme positions, these slots thus serving as aids in locking the brace-bars.

Although I prefer the construction of pivoted frames, braccbars, guideplatcs, and retainer-plates which I have shown and de scribed, it will be evident on referring to Fig. 4 that these parts may be very materially modified without departing from the essential features of my invention. For instance, a vertical ly-sliding frame,A,properly guided, may take the place of a pivoted frame, A, as shown at the left-hand side of Fig. 4, and the brace-bars may be pivoted to the trunk-body and secured to the side bars, a, by hooks, thumb-screws, or other equivalent fastenings, as also shown at the left in said figure; or the reverse construetion may be adopted, the brace-bars be ing pivoted to the side bars and secured to the trunk-body by suitable fastenings, as shown at the right; or, in other cases, a single bracebar extending from the side bar of one frame to that of the other may be used, as shown by dotted lines, suitable means being employed to secure the opposite ends of this bracebar to the side bars of the frames; and although, for the reason above given, it is preferred to connect the opposite side bars of each frame by means of a transverse bar, ll, said connecting bar may, if desired, be constructed to pass over the top of the lid, as shown at the righthand side of Fig. 4, or may even be dispensed with in some cases, as shown at the left-hand side of said figure.

Having thus described my inventum, therefore I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination of a trunk with opposite frames carried thereby and constructed to embrace the ends of the lid of the trunk when elevated, said frames being adjustable. so as to project beneath the trunk and provide supports for the same, all substantially as specitied.

2. The combination of a trunk with oppo site frames pi voted thereto near the lower outer corners, whereby they can be turned down to serve as supports for the trunk or be turned up so as to constitute braces for the same, all substantially as specified.

3. The combination of the trunk, the oppo site frames carried thereby and adjustable so as to form either supports or braces, and bracebars serving to confine said frames when adjusted to either of their extreme positions, all substantially as specified.

4. The combination of a trunk with vertical ly-adj ust able supporting and bracingfraines connected to the trunk at its opposite ends, each frame comprising opposite side bars bent at their upper ends and connected by a transverse bar, all substantially as specified.

5. The combirlation of a trunk having a shouldered lid with opposite vertically-adjustable frames which, when depressed, form supports for the trunk and when raised engage with the shoulders on the lid and confine said lid to the body of the trunk, all substai'itially as specified.

6. The combination of the trunk having retainer-plates, the opposite frames pivoted to the trunk at the lower outer corners, and bracc-rods pivoted to the side bars of the frames and engaging at their free ends with the retainer-plates on the trunk, all substantially as specified.

7. The combination of the trunk, the opposite frames pi voted to the same at its lowerouter corners, the braeebars hung to the side bars of said frames, the retainer-plates for the free ends of said brace-bars, and slotted guideplates therefor, all substantially as specified.

8. The combination of the trunk having a retainingplate and slotted guideplate with the pivoted end frames having brace-bars with locking-pins at their inner ends, said pins being provided with buttons contained between the guide-plate aml retainer-plate, all substantially as specified.

9. The combination of the trunk, its guideplate aml retaining plate, the pivoted end frames and their brace-bars having lockingpins with buttons thereon, and springs for acting upon said buttons to cause the engagement of the pins with the openings in the retainer-plate, all substantially as specified.

10. The combination of the trunk, its retainingplate and guide-plate, the opposite pivoted end frames and their bracing-bars having locking-pins with buttons thereon, and a pivoted lockinglever constructed to engage said buttons, all substantially as specified.

1t. The combination of the trunk, the op- 5 of their extreme positions, all substantially as pdsite adjustable frames, the brace-bars there to thisspeeilieation in the presence of two subfor, and the guide-plate having reversely-inscribing witnesses.

clined slots on opposite sides of the center for 1 Y ,7 Y 1 1' i receiving and locking said brace-bars in either Gmh TON I ON (LI Witnesses:

specified. \VILLIA )I D. Cowman,

In testimony whereofl have signed my name HA RRY SMITH. 

